Beware overcaring for it can promote Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) in a disabled child and they can self injure, self endanger, self deprive to compulsively monopolise the carer out of an pathologically exaggerated belief in their their own incapacity and vulnerability. DPD co-occurs in children who have had Separation Anxiety Disorder and Avoidant Personality Disorder. However, the compulsion of those with DPD to control the carer through progressive helplessness/loss of skills is, by far the most disabling of the three commonly co-occurring conditions. There are solutions to turning around co-occurring Dependent Personality Disorder in children deemed ‘Severely Autistic’ and where it is turned around the child will still be autistic but generally not nearly as ‘Severely Autistic’ as their Dependent Personality Disorder was presenting them to be.

Polly Samuel (aka 'Donna Williams')
Author, artist, consultant and presenter.
http://www.donnawilliams.net
I acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Owners of this country throughout Australia, and their connection to land and community.

Donna Williams is an Australian born adult with autism who was assessed as psychotic at the age of 2 in 1965, labelled disturbed in the 1970s and diagnosed as autistic in her 20s in 1991.

She acquired functional speech in late childhood and went on to become a qualified teacher with an honors degree in Sociology and a degree in Linguistics. She is the author of two international bestselling autobiographies and has 10 published books including 4 text books widely used in autism education and two books of poetry and prose.

As a screenwriter, she wrote the screenplay to “Nobody Nowhere”, the first book in her 4 book autobiographical series. That screenplay is currently under option to become a Hollywood film. She is an professional artist, singer-songwriter and published poet as well as a world renowned public speaker on autism now living with her husband in Australia. In her presentations she draws not only on her own experiences but on international experience as a professional autism consultant since 1996.

Donna’s is a speaker in demand around the world due to her unique perspective and ability to share her feelings and experiences on a very personal level. More information about her and her life’s work can be found on her website at http://www.donnawilliams.net .